Holy Trinity Hillcrest Newsletter June 2013 Dear God’s People I was recently privileged to spend two full days on Retreat at Jacob’s Well in Botha’s Hill. I said I chose this time, but in reality it was thrust upon me because of the pressure I was feeling about my ministry. I was beginning to feel as if I was drowning (and I am not good in the water anyway) under the pressure of my ministry, that no matter how much we had planned and were doing, it seemed like we were building up a sweat on a treadmill. We had the right kit, a reasonable programme and stepping to a manageable speed but for me it seemed as if we were staying in the same place. So off I went to ask God “Why me Lord?” It is not an original question. Moses asked a very similar question when God called him to go and liaise with Pharaoh on the release of the Israelites. Also Paul when he encountered God on the road to Damascus in his zealous pursuit of the people of the Way. I went to ask the question because I was just not feeling worthy of God’s blessings and graciousness and because I was having difficulty in seeing the fruit of all the seed we are sowing. So, why me Lord? So on my retreat and during my search for answers God answered me in the following ways. On the first day it was the reminder that God had the plan. The reading came from 1 Samuel 16 in which God told Samuel to go and anoint a new king because the nation was frustrated with the old regime and bad leadership. But even Samuel, a prophet and chosen son of God expressed his fear at the possible consequences should Saul (the old king) find out. But God explains God’s strategy (the how)to Samuel and instructs him to go and make it happen. Interestingly, God does not name the successor to Samuel but directs the prophet to the family/district from which he will come. In obedience to God all the sons, except one, of Jesse’s family pass before the prophet and not one is found to be suitable. Jesse then sends for the remaining son, David, who was out in the fields tending the sheep, he is immediately identified as the successor of Saul and is anointed. The writer makes the point that God does not see or look at the things that excites human beings. It is not in the appearance but in the divinely apportioned ability. God looks at the heart whereas man looks at the appearance. The second lesson came when I was approached by a complete stranger at Tessa’s granny’s funeral. One of the mourners walked up to me and thanked me for being courageous. As I did not know the man I was curious why he thought that of me. He told me, “I know I’ve been called, but I’m scared to go because there are too many things not right with me.” It was for a similar reason that I had been on retreat not quite feeling that I’m right or doing the right thing. I think we all sometimes feel like that, that we are not quite ready, that there may be too many things that are not right with us, or the place or even the people. And if we were to ask others, like Samuel (1 Sam 12) and Paul (Acts 20) did, then many may testi- fy against us. That is probably our greatest fear that we may be found wanting and not worthy of our call. But I or we need not fear. God’s intentions are not that the crown of God’s creation should stand condemned but be saved. St. Peter says of the Church, “but you are a chosen race, a royal priest- hood, a holy nation, God’s own people.” The writer to the Hebrews says, “One who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical de- scent, but through the power of an indestructible life.” (Heb 7:16). The writer is obviously referring to Jesus but you and I are called by Jesus who is the “power of an indestructible life” to share with Him in God’s ministry. Our call was not willed by someone who thought it a good idea or by someone who expressed it as his/ her dying wish. Our call is from the one who conquered death, who is alive and who promised newness of life. We’ve been called by the One who through His own life has conquered death. It is a call by the One who equipped those who had been given to Him (John 17) with the promised Holy Spirit that will remind them of all Jesus taught and said, but also reveal the things Jesus did not say in his historical life. I am encouraged that what we do is not ours, but God’s who has the plan and knows the strategy but requires us to make it happen. We pray that we may not be fearful but eager to do what God has planned. From your priest and friend Gary+ The Rector’s Reflections
Transcript
1
Holy Trinity Hillcrest Newsletter June 2013
Dear God’s People
I was recently privileged to spend two full days on Retreat at Jacob’s Well in Botha’s Hill. I said I chose this time, but in reality it was thrust upon me because of the pressure I was feeling about my ministry. I was beginning to feel as if I was drowning (and I am not good in the water anyway) under the pressure of my ministry, that no matter how much we had planned and were doing, it seemed like we were building up a sweat on a treadmill. We had the right kit, a reasonable programme and stepping to a manageable speed but for me it seemed as if we were staying in the same place. So off I went to ask God “Why me Lord?” It is not an original question. Moses asked a very similar question when God called him to go and liaise with Pharaoh on the release of the Israelites. Also Paul when he encountered God on the road to Damascus in his zealous pursuit of the people of the Way. I went to ask the question because I was just not feeling worthy of God’s blessings and graciousness and because I was having difficulty in seeing the fruit of all the seed we are sowing. So, why me Lord? So on my retreat and during my search for answers God answered me in the following ways. On the first day it was the reminder that God had the plan. The reading came from 1 Samuel 16 in which God told Samuel to go and anoint a new king because the nation was frustrated with the old regime and bad leadership. But even Samuel, a prophet and chosen son of God expressed his fear at the possible consequences should Saul (the old king) find out. But God explains God’s strategy (the how)to Samuel and instructs him to go and make it happen. Interestingly, God does not name the successor to Samuel but directs the prophet to the family/district from which he will come. In obedience to God all the sons, except one, of Jesse’s family pass before the prophet and not one is found to be suitable. Jesse then sends for the remaining son, David, who was out in the fields tending the sheep, he is immediately identified as the successor of Saul and is anointed. The writer makes the point that God does not see or look at the things that excites human beings. It is not in the appearance but in the divinely apportioned ability. God looks at the heart whereas man looks at the appearance. The second lesson came when I was approached by a complete stranger at Tessa’s granny’s funeral. One of the mourners walked up to me and thanked me for being courageous. As I did not know the man I was
curious why he thought that of me. He told me, “I know I’ve been called, but I’m scared to go because there are too many things not right with me.” It was for a similar reason that I had been on retreat not quite feeling that I’m right or doing the right thing. I think we all sometimes feel like that, that we are not quite ready, that there may be too many things that are not right with us, or the place or even the people. And if we were to ask others, like Samuel (1 Sam 12) and Paul (Acts 20) did, then many may testi-fy against us. That is probably our greatest fear that we may be found wanting and not worthy of our call. But I or we need not fear. God’s intentions are not that the crown of God’s creation should stand condemned but be saved. St. Peter says of the Church, “but you are a chosen race, a royal priest-hood, a holy nation, God’s own people.” The writer to the Hebrews says, “One who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical de-scent, but through the power of an indestructible life.” (Heb 7:16). The writer is obviously referring to Jesus but you and I are called by Jesus who is the “power of an indestructible life” to share with Him in God’s ministry. Our call was not willed by someone who thought it a good idea or by someone who expressed it as his/her dying wish. Our call is from the one who conquered death, who is alive and who promised newness of life. We’ve been called by the One who through His own life has conquered death. It is a call by the One who equipped those who had been given to Him (John 17) with the promised Holy Spirit that will remind them of all Jesus taught and said, but also reveal the things Jesus did not say in his historical life.
I am encouraged that what we do is not ours, but God’s who has the plan and knows the strategy but requires us to make it happen. We pray that we may not be fearful but eager to do what God has planned.
From your priest and friend
Gary+
The Rector’s Reflections
2
Mothering Sunday.
It seems like ages since we last had a newsletter and I do hope you have missed reading it as much as I have in
putting it together. It has been a busy year so far! With Lent and Easter being so near to Christmas I felt like I
was in one of those never ending stories!
And to prove how busy we, as a parish have been here are some photographs of some of the programmes that
were organized since the last Newsletter. Let us start with the amazing floral display at Easter!
This year our Lenten bible study was on some of the Parables Jesus taught. The Flower Guild used these
Parables as a base for their amazing floral displays.
The Parable
of the Sower
The Parable of
the Talents
The Easter Flower Arrangement We are so grateful to God for the talents he bestows upon us and we
thank Him for those who recognize those gifts and share them!
Another generous expression of
God’s love for God’s creatures! Thank you Holy Trinity for the jerseys knitted for the children at
Zikwanele crèche, an annual project organized by the EWG. The
AWF were also busy with their annual winter project of sewing
tracksuits for children at the 1000 Hills clinic.
Thank you everyone for assisting us with these projects.
The children at Zikwanele Creche receiving their jerseys! The smiles say it all!
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace & gratitude.” - Denis Waitley
3
”Advent to Ascension ” would sound better because of the alliteration and would have a charming symmetry about the concepts but I want to focus on just two highlights of my spiritual journey. It may seem a bit late in the year to write about Advent and Easter but I cannot shake the feeling that I need to write this down. Last Christmas was the strangest and in the material sense, the humblest, simplest Christmas I have ever had. What I had, I had, because of the generosity of my family and the people of this parish. I come from a large family and we traditionally spent
Christmas day together whenever possible. This has become difficult recently because a family of nine siblings becomes very large when spouses and children and
grandchildren are included. Last year two of my sisters went to Australia to see my mum at Christmas and the car was in the workshop again! Nalane and I decided that she would stay in Durban because with her work hours and without a car, getting together would be just too expensive, complicated and difficult.
Despite all of this it was one of the best Christmas seasons I have ever had. I can write this l because I had the privilege of participating in the Advent Carol service. I was a little tense at the start of the service because I thought that we (the readers) had not practiced enough. This tension was partially relieved by the site of church transformed by the artistry of the flower guild. My nervousness was further eased when we got through the first of the readings and it became clear that the music group was well rehearsed. I relaxed and could let those wonderful words speak to my mind and let the music speak to my soul. I realised that we are blessed to be part of something that happened over two millennia ago and continues to affect us today. Those words demanded that you ask again what does this Jesus mean to me. Someone said to me after the service that the service had made her Christmas. Nothing could have spoilt Christmas for me from that night on. My spiritual journey continued through the church calendar until we came to Lent when I was pleased to be able to pay proper attention to the season’s disciplines. I sel-
dom get to attend every service of Holy Week but this time I did. I had the opportuni-ty to participate in the planning and delivery of some of those services. The lay minis-ters were all agreed that those services took something out of us but gave back to us far, far more. I have heard and read those final words of Jesus many times but they become astonishingly real when it falls to you to say the last words of Christ (in Aramaic) while you are wearing a white robe and standing in church. I said them and suddenly realised I would never be the same person ever again. Harold Walker
Please check our website, www.holytrinity.co.za, for all the latest news and activities!
On Friday 24th May, the Evening Women’s Guild hosted the Durban Men’s
Choir. The feedback we received indicates that it was wonderful evening of
singing and entertainment. We all well know that a church function is not a
church function if there is no food! The EWG ladies put on a sumptuous spread of
puddings and coffee and even a well laden cheese board and wine. A good time
was had by all who attended.
Enjoying the Grub!!
They may be men of note! But is was our very own choir who showed what dedication is all about! Not even a power failure could deter them from their commitment to practice. Here they are taking full advantage of the last rays of light in the courtyard in the crisp autumn evening as the church was too dark.
1st Allan & Thora Golledge 6th Harold & Nalane Walker 8th Tom & Thelma Rafferty 15th Geoff & Ann Maud 16th Victor & Jean Hull 24th Greg & Wendy Logan 28th Charles & Lynn Rich 29th Bob & Joyce Mickel 29th Richard & Felicity Rauff
June
Bits and Pieces!
01-Jill Howard 02-Ann Sheard 04-Ginny Rowan 10-Deryck Howard 10-Kate Stranack 15-Norman Roulliard 16-Dianne Chaplin 17-Janetta Dauncey 18-Lolly Wilson 20-Jenipher Lavender
R.I.P. We give thanks for the life of those deceased.
Allan Manzie, Denys Hooey, Peter Dinkelmann, Cynthia Kramer and May Robinson
Colin and Barbara
Mercer the very proud
1st time grand parents
of a beautiful baby boy
Anthony Joshua.
Our New Members Faith Mulligan
Micky & Barbara Webb
Christopher, Caroline & Amy Hill
Linda Lemon
Julie Anne Edwards
Brenda Mann
Lynette Renner
Phyllis McKenzie
Ruth Patchett
Jacqui Maryon
Jesus loves me, this I know, Though my hair is white as snow. Though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him. Yes, Jesus love me… Yes, Jesus love me…. Yes, Jesus love me for the Bible tells me so. Though my steps are oh, so slow, With my hand in His I'll go On through life, let come what may, He'll be there to lead the way. (CHORUS) Though I am no longer young, I have much which He's begun. Let me serve Christ with a smile, Go with others the extra mile. (CHORUS) When the nights are dark and long, In my heart He puts a song. Telling me in words so clear, "Have no fear, for I am near." (CHORUS) When my work on earth is done, And life's victories have been won. He will take me home above, Then I'll understand His love (CHORUS) I love Jesus, does He know? Have I ever told Him so? Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day. Submitted by Michele Serfontein
